Feathering propeller-wheel.



A. S. PRAZIER. EEA-THERING PROPELLER WHEEL. APPLIOATION FILED JANA,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

CO-IWMMXNOTON D A. S. PRAZIER. FEATHERING PROPELLER WHEEL. APPLIUATIONTILED JANA, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i l 1 as I 1% -11 19 z a m I 111 Mg 3 54 x :7

LOLUMDIA VLANOURAPH 60., WASHINGTON. u. c.

ALBERT S. FRAZIEIR- OF AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK.

FEATHERING PROPELLER-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Application filed. January 1, 1911. Serial No. 600,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. FRAZIER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Amsterdam, county of Montgomery, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in FeatheringPropeller-\Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feathering propeller wheels.

The present invention has for its objects the provision of a propeller,adapted for use as a paddle Wheel, or stern propeller for marine andaerial vessels which will have novel means for automatically featheringthe propelling blades, together with novel means for setting orregulating the aforesaid feathering means whereby the feathering actionof the blades or propellers may be regulated at will. Having these, andother not specifically mentioned, objects in view, the invention iscarried out by the provision of a cam track or tracks, mounted so as tobe adapted to be set in different positions, and propelling bladeshaving devices adapted to cooperate with the cam track or tracks to turnor feather said blades, the blades being mounted for rotation togetheras a propeller, as will more fully appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a face view or frontelevation; Fig. 2, a side elevation; and Fig. 3, a section of amodification.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, there is disclosed therein a paddlewheel adapted for use on marine or aerial vessels, the wheel preferablyhaving a rotary frame-work consisting of the radial members 1, the ringsor bands 2 and 3, connected thereto, and the shaft 4 to which said partsare secured. Mounted to turn in suitable boxes or bearings 5 carried bythe rim 2, and boxes 6 carried by the rim 3, are the shafts 7 of theblades or paddles 8 which are prevented from having longitudinalmovement by suitable collars. The shaft 1 may be supported in one ormore suitable bearings 9, and on the shaft there is loosely mounted aguide 10 which is preferably provided with a gear 11 whereby the saidguide may be turned or set to different positions by hand or power,through the intervention of a pinion 12 on the shaft 13. The guide 10carries concentric annular tracks 14 and 15 on its outer face and therespective stems or shafts 7 are provided with two trips 16 and 17 set,

preferably at right angles to each other, one being adapted to bear upontrack it and the other upon the track 15. The tracks, as shown in Fig.2, are each composed of a raised part 18 both of said raised parts lyingin the same plane and a depressed part 19 both of said parts 19 lying inthe same plane. The parts .18 and 19 of the respective tracks eachoccupy nearly onehalf of the periphery or extent thereof being, in eachinstance, provided with a cam or inclined part 22 which connects theraised and depressed parts 13 and 19. The raised parts 18 of therespective tracks being disposed opposite to each other, the camsections 20 of the track 15 are disposed opposite to the similar partsof the track ll and in consequence, those paddles or blades 8 which arein position to take against the air or water are disposed with theirfaces crosswise of the plane of rotation of the wheel and the otherpaddles are maintained in such position that their edges will bedirected to the air or fluid when they are not in proper position totake thereagainst so that the paddles are automatically feathered at theproper periods. The trips 17 by their sliding along the raised parts 18maintain the paddles in one position during a certain part of therotattioi'i of the wheel, and the trips 16 which, during the aforesaidperiod, are not touching the depressed part 19 of the other track,strike against the next cam surface 20 encountered and thus give aquarter turn to the given shaft 7. These movements follow in successionand, with a Wheel having four paddles, for instance, two of these willbe feathering while the other two are acting on the air or water.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown the adaptation of the invention as asubmerged propeller, especially adapted for use on submarine vessels. Asection of the vessel is shown at 30 through which passes a guide 10having a gear 11 whereby the guide may be set to different positions bya pinion and shaft 12. The shaft 4: is suitably mounted in a bearing 9and the guide 10- and said shaft pass through the side of the vessel 30,the guide passing through the packing 31 and being provided with a diskor spider 32 which carries tracks 14 and 15 such as heretoforedescribed. Secured to each other by bolts 33 are the housings 3 1 and35, the former loosely receiving the guide 10, but preferably providedwith packing or packed at 36. In a head 37 on shaft 4 there arejournaled the inner ends of the propeller axles or shafts 7 providedWith suitable blades on their outer parts and passing through thehousing formed by the plates 34 and 35 being suitably journaled orpacked at 37 all the way around. The housing formed by the plates 34 and35 may contain oil in which the parts can run. The shaft-s or axles '7are provided With trips 16 and 17 which cooperate with the tracks 14 and15 in the manner heretofore set forth.

The provision of the rotatably mounted guide 10 or 10 enables the personcontrolling the Wheel to set the guide to difierent positions at will,thus controlling at will the location of the respective blades when theyfeather. This is of great importance in the use of the wheel, especiallyon aerial vessels and sub-marines, in controlling the forward driving,retardation, and raising and lowering of the vessel, as well as therestoration of equilibrium and, with aerial vessels, permitting the actof alight-ing to be very gentle.

lVhen the Wheel is applied to a sub-ma rine vessel, the use of devicesto effect sinking and lifting of the vessel becomes secondary as theengine acting through the propeller Wheel exerts diving and liftingpower as well as driving ahead or astern.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a propelling wheel, the combination With a vessel, of a propellershaft extending to the exterior thereof, a rotary propeller embodyingfeathering blades having stems journaled at their inner ends to andcarried by said shaft, a housing or casing disposed exteriorly of thevessel and in which the stems are journaled, said housing beingrotatable with the shaft, a head located Within said housing adapted forcooperation With the blades to effect feathering thereof, a sleeveconnected to the head and loose on the shaft, and means adapted forturning and setting at will the said sleeve and head.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my I signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT S. FRAZIER. Witnesses HARRY SHERBURNE, LEONARD H. FRAZIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

